Chapter 5: False hope

Six torches moved through the dark. Six determined faces. Makoto walked upfront, the wind was weak and she seemed to sense it best. Mikael held his saber in his right hand, resting it on his shoulder, as it didn't come with a scabbard. Makoto held her crystal, which seemed to give her more and more energy with time, also improving her sense of the wind. Roy was holding a jacket with tied off arms, clearly full of water. Mikaels' undersized waterproof jacket came in handy once more. Mia held her cane, while Tony and William were holding some prepared torches with one arm, using tree sap and some clothes they managed to make quite good ones.

Hungry and exhausted they had walked for hours, without complaint. Of course they spoke regarding the validity of their assumption, that facing the wind was the right choice, perhaps they were meant to move in the direction of the wind, but they had all been against the idea.

The first choice they made back in the scorching sun had been the correct direction, it was almost poetic that they were supposed to move towards the danger, towards the fly-trap. There was only one choice from the beginning.

But in the night, there were two choices, each a possibility to hold more danger. It seemed almost crude for the system to simply point in the correct direction, facing the storm was thematically more appropriate. They all felt it fit with the style of the first trial.

"The wind is getting stronger" said Makoto.

It would keep doing so for the next several hours. At first the rest of the group started feeling the wind, hours more passed and it became a breeze. Somehow the torches were still unaffected. Then it became a gale, to a point where they had to cover their faces, but the sand did not move, the fire did not move.

"Roy, anything?"

"Nothing, only our heartbeats and the wind"

Hours turned to days, the wind was now so significant that they could barely walk forward. Then a thought invaded their souls, perhaps they were wrong, perhaps they made a mistake.

"Let's stop, consider our options" said Mia tiredly.

The group sat in a semi-circle, turning their backs to the wind.

Mikael spoke first.

"Option one, keep pushing, perhaps the struggle is the trial"

Tony continued.

"Option two, turn back, acknowledge a mistake"

William brought up the last option.

"Option three, both choices are wrong"

Roy supported the first option, unwilling to give up, Makoto joined him in the sentiment.

The second option was still shunned by all, out of stubbornness at this point. They sat there a while, discussing and arguing, even playing devils' advocate for option two. Then they sat in silence considering the time after the sun set.

Mikael was lost deep in thought, likewise considering the few but important events.

Darkness descended.

Roy could see and smell the grass.

We found the Oasis.

Roy climbed a tree, he saw nothing interesting and heard nothing interesting.

We started a fire.

Then we made the choice.

Darkness descended.

Roy could see and smell the grass.

We found the Oasis.

Roy climbed a tree, he saw nothing interesting and heard nothing interesting…nothing interesting, ah.

Inspiration suddenly overtook him, filling him with hope.

"The wind is not a guide; it is a punishment!"

All five locked their eyes on him. Hope filling their eyes.

"Perhaps the leaves started rustling in the wind only after we lit the fire, Roy would've heard the leaves as well, instead of just smelling the grass"

William and Mia gasped in understanding.

"The darkness was the challenge and we disregarded it, choosing the safety of light"

"We embraced the light the first time around, and we were supposed to embrace the darkness"

The wind was nothing but a false hope, something they imagined the general and the 57 men experienced as well. The more they discussed the idea, the more convincing it became. In retrospect, the wind was too vague, offering too little to formulate a proper choice. A false hope designed for those who were too cowardly to face the dark. The oasis was a signal to end their travels, not a checkpoint, like some game.

Looking at each other, all at the same time plunged their torches into the sand.

The wind stopped and the smell of grass returned. Passing a couple dunes, with Roy leading the way, they returned to the same Oasis that should've been days away. They drank the water in the dark, somehow they could all tell that soon danger would come. Roy found five reasonably straight branches and broke them off. With Mikael's saber he slowly fashioned them into short wooden spears. Then they waited, with the overworked Roy watching for any danger in the dark.

Then the sun rose and with it came the dead.

With the sunrise behind them, they slowly appeared one by one. First was some woman, her skin was dry, her lips cracked. Her eyes fully white, her skin burned where exposed. The six survivors called out to her with hope, but she was dead and walking towards them with expressionless eyes. Mia had recognized her, as she stood close to her when they first arrived to the desert.

She…or it approached slowly, when a few meters from them, she lunged quickly at Tony standing upfront. He stabbed with his spear at her chest, stabbing deep enough to go through it. It didn't stop her, as she kept pushing her body into the wooden spear as she got closer. Tony kicked her away, removing his wooden spear from her chest, as she fell, he stepped forward and stabbed into her heart directly. It didn't stop her either.

As she moved herself up the spear. He pushed her back down, putting his foot on her chest. She grabbed at his leg, but it didn't help. He removed the wooden spear out of her heart, stabbed her in the forhead and started kicking down her face with his heel. Several hits later, after her face was unrecognizable, her skull started to give, Tony kept kicking down, until half her face was gone. It was not until he completely turned her brain into a mush, that she stopped moving and a long spear emerged from the ground.

Looking back at his companions, he glanced at Roy and Makoto, who did not look too good.

"Steel yourselves, I'm sure more will come. Go for the brains, it seems it needs to be completely destroyed"

Makoto nodded preparing herself, while Roy muttered repeatedly:

"Just like a game, just like a game…"

Several minutes later, three more shadows appeared from the seemingly stationary sunrise. Two men and a woman. William, Makoto and Roy prepared themselves, while Mikael and Roy stood behind them. Two of the dead were closer, so Roy and William charged them first, taking the initiative. Tony ran right behind Roy, fearing that the boy would have trouble stabbing at a person, even a dead one.

Makoto jogged right behind them, ready to take on the third. While Mikael circled them all to assist from behind, if the need arises. They had decided that Mia would only join if there was no other choice, her healing ability was too valuable to waste on a risk and an unclear benefit, considering she already got her cane.

It seemed that Roy having time to steel himself paid off as he made short work of the dead woman. He stabbed her in the head, putting his bodyweight behind it and then pushed her down to the ground with the wooden spear. After a moment of hesitation, he started kicking the dead woman to the side of her skull until he reached his own spear, which seemed to be enough. Though nothing appeared from the ground, disappointing him.

As he looked to the side, he saw that William was already done, holding a baton in his hand. Then he heard Makotos' steps as she ran past him, jumping higher than even her coach had ever jumped. She flew forward with such speed that the dead mans' head simply broke off from the impact, seemingly removing the need to continue. For her, nothing rose from the ground as well. She turned around and spoke excitedly.

"My god, that was amazing, did you see that?"

The rest of them watched her with curiosity.

"It's like I didn't weigh anything, that was insane"

Mikael thought for a bit.

"Back in the introduction, I was told that the way elementals applied their powers was more complex than at first glance, perhaps your background as a gymnast impacted the application"

"Or perhaps her affinity was always with her, and it pushed her into gymnastics"

Mikael turned to Tony smiling.

"Affinities are based on predispositions, not experience. You're likely correct"

Meanwhile Makoto was jumping up and down like a child. In her words, she jumped higher than usual, but it was nothing inhuman, so the others couldn't comment. William on the other hand, was experimenting with his new baton, until he brought up an important point.

"Mikael, I chose a pair of batons, I have only one, while you chose a saber and a short blade"

"Likely more than one kill will be necessary to get the rest" said Mia with a thoughtful face.

"It's best if William, Mikael and Roy kill the next opponents"

"I get the first two, but why me uncle Tony"

"Your improved senses have been very useful"

"We may not have the luxury to choose" said Mikael looking at the sunrise.

When the rest turned, they realized what he meant, more than thirty dead walked towards them. They glanced at eachother with Tony speaking first as always.

"Mia, you retreat to the trees, we'll need a healer when we are done, we can't risk you, only help if there is absolutely no choice. Roy, stay behind us, help those who are struggling. Makoto, stay on the move, focus on their flanks, attack the stragglers, don't get surrounded"

Then he looked at Mikael and William, what they had to do did not need explaining. They nodded at eachother and stood side by side with Tony in the middle.

Step, Step, Step.

The dead approach.

The six companions stand with nothing to lose but their lives.